Space Coast Residents Witness Historic Rocket Launch
Posted: June 15th, 2020
On Saturday, May 30, Space Coast residents gathered at “every available spot alongside U.S. 1 north to south” to witness an historical rocket launch. According to Florida Today, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off at 3:22 PM and successfully entered orbit as thousands of people eagerly watched. This launch was so important because it was the first crewed space launch from U.S. soil in 9 years.
Of course, it’s not called the Space Coast for nothing; since the 1950s, Cape Canaveral and the surrounding area has served as an important hub for space exploration. As we mentioned in a previous article, the location’s proximity to the equator actually helps to add speed to launches. Furthermore, accessibility to the Atlantic Ocean is a huge factor -- in the case of an emergency, operators are able to redirect the craft safely to the water where it cannot injure people or damage buildings.
A Brief History of Crewed Space Flight in the U.S.
The first crewed space missions from the U.S. were launched from Cape Canaveral. Between 1958 and 1963, NASA’s Project Mercury saw six successful astronaut-piloted flights originating from right here in Brevard County; the first crewed mission was on a Mercury-Red Stone rocket on May 1, 1961. Following Project Mercury, President John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the moon and bringing him back home safely by the end of the 1960s, thus initiating the Apollo program.
Every Brevard County resident remembers the Space Shuttle program, which was the 4th human spaceflight project developed by NASA. The shuttle's first flight was on April 12, 1981. This was the first crewed mission since the last Apollo mission in December 1972. During this program’s 30-year span, astronauts piloted a total of 135 missions. The program was retired in 2011 with the final launch of the Atlantis; since then, Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center have continuously launched uncrewed spacecraft.
The Revival of Crewed Space Flight
Private aerospace corporations have shown increased interest in developing affordable crewed space flight options for future offworld development and even tourism. After accepting a lease at Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) in 2007, SpaceX quickly got to work, launching the Falcon 1 in September 2008 -- their goal: “making humanity interplanetary.” Since then, SpaceX has launched several more spacecraft (including this most recent Falcon 9 launch), with more launch dates already on the schedule.
We currently find ourselves in an aerospace boom, with several privately-owned companies establishing themselves in the area. NASA remains at the forefront of aerospace development and has continued its space missions and plans to send off the next Mars rover by the end of this month. Regarding their plans for crewed missions, they intend to send the first woman and the next man to the moon by 2024 with Project Artemis.
Other enterprises in the area have announced their own upcoming missions to space. Blue Origin is creating reusable launch crafts to transport people to the moon. Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, states that their “purpose is to open up space for the benefit of life on earth.”
Watch a Launch from Your Backyard
Closeness to Cape Canaveral is one of the things that makes living in Brevard County so wonderful. The Ellingson Properties team had the pleasure of watching the launch from our parking lot, and many Space Coast residents witnessed the spectacle from their own backyards. Living near the Space Center offers residents many opportunities for education and for work. As the space program continues to blast off, we anticipate seeing many more opportunities arrive. We also anticipate seeing many, many more beautiful launches.
To learn more about living in Brevard County, get in touch with Ellingson Properties. Speak to one of our team members about moving to Brevard or relocating in the area. Call us today at 321-750-7050.